Businesses struggle with the idea of playing games at work — the term conjures up the idea of having fun without a purpose. But the practical application of gamification is disrupting that assumption and slowly changing the way businesses learn.

In a nutshell, gamification is the concept of applying engaging elements of game theory to non-game applications. An example would be to create a game to learn something new for work: While a lecture session could potentially turn off employees and prevent learning, a game that teaches the same skills could lead to an interested employee that is eager to learn.

Companies need to embrace the idea of blending games with work. And in order for that to happen, gamification needs to be perceived as a profession, not a frivolous activity. Proper gamification must have a minimum knowledge base and skill set about the given subject matter, as well as both theory and practical application of its core principles. Lastly, it must create a common vehicle for advocacy and ethics to maintain standards.

Mashable spoke with several gamification specialists — including Richard Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) — to uncover the history and direction of gamification.

How would you like to see gamification used in your office? Let us know in the comments.

Defining Gamification in the Workplace

According to a study by Parks Associates, the number of people playing video games in the U.S. has risen 241% since 2008. It's clear that games have become a facet of our everyday lives, and Taylor shared how games are making the transition into the business world:

“Today’s games drive technological and societal advancements that serve gamers and non-gamers alike. Teachers at all levels use games in the classroom to teach history and civics, build STEM skills and teach foreign languages. Healthcare providers use video games in physical therapy and treatment programs, and to educate patients about their conditions. Surgeons use video game simulations to help practice difficult procedures.”

Karl M. Kapp, professor of instructional technology at Bloomsburg University, sees an exciting trend toward implementing games to teach systems and relationships: “The commercial equivalent is something like The Sims, where the player has to weigh certain variables and make tradeoffs to keep his or her character healthy and happy.”

Why are so many organizations considering games? Taylor says it's all about the cost and results.

“UPS began using video games to train newly recruited drivers after finding that 30% of candidates failed the company’s traditional training program, and the Hilton Garden Inn worked with Virtual Heroes to develop Ultimate Team Play, an interactive game that places employees in a virtual hotel," Taylor says. "Even the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice has developed a training game, called Incident Commander, in which emergency responders practice coordinating disaster relief efforts.”

The Beginning: Connecting People and Computers

To understand how far gamification has come, it’s important to discuss where it started.Tim Lynch is one of the first psychologists to study the effects of computer interaction on socialization, and he’s currently the president of gaming computer company Psychsoftpc.

Lynch says the basis of his 1986 doctoral work at Boston University on the socialization of people through computer interaction rested on the observation that people responded to a computer in similar ways that they did to other people. “In many instances, they were more open since there was a feeling of anonymity in dealing with the computer, and that learning in a computer simulation environment transfers over to real life experience,” he adds.

So, the first key ingredient in gamification success is that people must be open to connecting with technology and use the computer experience afterward in practical application. Otherwise, the learning doesn’t take place.

Kapp discovered a similar connection — except his was a personal experience. When Kapp began his first internship after he graduated from college, he volunteered to play a paper-based game that was intended to teach people negotiation skills. He says the paper game helped him feel comfortable with those skills and led to him applying them in a more adept way.

"I realized that certain elements of games could be applied to traditional e-learning and classroom instructional design," Kapp says. "I started to play with some ideas when I came across the term ‘gamification’ which I immediate thought to myself, ‘Yes, that’s what I want to do.' I don’t really want to create a full-scale Halo-type game, but I do want elements from Halo-like, characters, challenge, story, feedback in my instruction.”

Enterprise Applications: Recognizing a Business Need for Games

Rajat Paharia, founder and CPO of gamification company Bunchball, saw the potential for games in a business context. “After having a lot of success in motivating customers on public sites, we realized that gamification, when properly designed, could be of huge use in enterprise applications," Paharia says. "Helping onboard software users through step-by-step challenges, rewarding participation in communities and encouraging product mastery through regular training and quizzing can have significant impact on productivity and performance.”

Bunchball shipped its first gamification solution back in 2007 and currently works with some of the largest consumer and B2B companies in the world, including Warner Bros., Comcast, NBC Universal, Adobe, and Hasbro. Paharia shared how gamification has evolved over the past few years and why businesses are becoming more open to it:

“I think five years ago, most organizations were reluctant to embrace gamification because of the ‘games’ concept. Since then, more organizations are learning that gamification and games aren’t the same thing — in fact they’re somewhat orthogonal. Gamification applies game mechanics to non-game experiences, but the goal isn’t gameplay, it’s ongoing engagement. Organizations are now realizing that gamification doesn’t make business more ‘fun,’ it just helps change the way people perceive their work in a positive way.”

Gaming as a Career Choice and Profession

With gamification taking hold in business, an infrastructure must be built to support it. Part of that foundation includes defining jobs within the industry and identifying the requisite knowledge and experience necessary for those positions. “The huge popularity of video games has increased the number of computer science and video game academic programs," says Kapp. "Games are now technically easier to develop than in the past, which has led to a widespread adoption of games within corporations.”

Taylor says that according to research they commissioned in 2008, 70% of major employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees. Additionally, more than 75% of organizations not utilizing this technology said they are likely to offer it by next year.

The Future: Beyond Entertainment

While some aspects of gamification are still evolving, there’s clearly a vibrant future ahead for the profession. According to Taylor, the industry is driving innovation and creating demand.

“Today’s policymakers, educators, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations and business leaders already show a heightened understanding of the benefits of games and game technology in non-entertainment sectors, and they demonstrate a growing interest in creative applications of video games to their industries,” he says.

Considering that most of us have at some point been exposed to playing a video game, it’s almost certain that gamification will continue to expand beyond entertainment and improve the way we live, learn, work and play.

Mashable
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